Before the Revolution started, the people in the New Hampshire Grants were more concerned with the troubles they were having with New York in settling the question of land grant, than those the colonies were having with England. As you remember, the people living in the Grants were part of the colony of New York, but the people living in the Grants had begun thinking about becoming their own separate colony.
In 1775, in the town of Westminster, an angry group of New Hampshire Grant colonists took control of the courthouse from New York officials. The sheriffs and deputies surrounded the courthouse, but when the Grants men refused to surrender, shots were fired. Two of the Grants men were killed and the others surrendered. Once the Revolution started, the problem could not be solved so it was "put on the back burner." It wasn't until 1777 that the idea of having the New Hampshire Grant territory become a separate colony was brought up again.
In July of 1776, in the middle of the Revolution, the American colonies declared themselves free and independent of England and set up states in place of the original colonies. In January 1777, a meeting was held in the New Hampshire Grants to set up this territory as the free state of New Connecticut. A committee was chosen to go to Philadelphia to tell the Continental Congress that they wanted to join the United States.
When New York heard about New Connecticut, some of the Yorkers became angry. The New York delegates (members) at the Continental Congress told the other members not to listen to those upstarts from the New Hampshire Grants (now called New Connecticut) who were using the war as an opportunity to cut themselves off from New York. Other states were worried that parts of their territories might do the same thing as New Connecticut.
The Congress was in an uncomfortable spot because New York was powerful, yet the men from New Connecticut seemed to have a good cause, too. The Congress hemmed and hawed and finally did nothing at all, in order to keep New York happy. Vermont (New Connecticut) was not allowed to join the new country of the United StatesVermont was now all by itself -not belonging to anyone or anything. They declared themselves an independent republic.
In June of 1777, New Connecticut decided they needed a constitution, or set of laws, and modeled their constitution after the constitution of Pennsylvania that was written by Benjamin Franklin himself. This constitution, or set of laws, was the first to prohibitslavery (one person owning another person) and to guarantee all men the right to vote. But when they discovered that Pennsylvania already had an area called New Connecticut, a new name was needed. Someone suggested a name that would tell about our Green Mountains and would be related to our early French settlements. That name was “Verd Mont” which means "Green Mountain" in the French language. It was agreed that the name, Vermont, would be better because it was easier to say.
During the next thirteen years many things happened in this new land called Vermont. The republic of Vermont had its own money and postal service. Thomas Chittenden was chosen as our first governor in March of 1778. Ethan Allen, who had been a British prisoner since 1775, also returned home in 1778. Allen had been captured when he tried to seize Montreal, Canada from the British during the Revolutionary War. After being home for about a year, Ethan Allen and his Green Mountain Boys continued to fight for Vermont to join the newly formed United States. In 1782, Allen was appointed the head of the Vermont militia (volunteer soldiers). Throughout these years, Vermont remained an independent republic, not belonging to either Britain or the United States.
With the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783, the Revolutionary War finally ended with an American victory, The United States no longer belonged to England and was now its own country. The last British soldiers were withdrawn from New York City in November, 1783. At this time there were over 30,000 people living in Vermont.
In 1790, Vermont settled its dispute with New York by paying it $30,000. New Hampshire also gave up its claim to Vermont. Such improved relations helped clear the way for Vermont's admission to the United States. On March 4, 1791, Vermont became the 14th state! It was the first state to join the Unionafter the original thirteen colonies.
Information included from: Uniquely Vermont by Emily Raabe Vermont by Learner Publications Company
Before the Revolution started, the people in the New Hampshire Grants were more concerned with the troubles they were having with New York in settling the question of land grant, than those the colonies were having with England. As you remember, the people living in the Grants were part of the colony of New York, but the people living in the Grants had begun thinking about becoming their own separate colony.
In 1775, in the town of Westminster, an angry group of New Hampshire Grant colonists took control of the courthouse from New York officials. The sheriffs and deputies surrounded the courthouse, but when the Grants men refused to surrender, shots were fired. Two of the Grants men were killed and the others surrendered. Once the Revolution started, the problem could not be solved so it was "put on the back burner." It wasn't until 1777 that the idea of having the New Hampshire Grant territory become a separate colony was brought up again.
In July of 1776, in the middle of the Revolution, the American colonies declared themselves free and independent of England and set up states in place of the original colonies. In January 1777, a meeting was held in the New Hampshire Grants to set up this territory as the free state of New Connecticut. A committee was chosen to go to Philadelphia to tell the Continental Congress that they wanted to join the United States.
When New York heard about New Connecticut, some of the Yorkers became angry. The New York delegates (members) at the Continental Congress told the other members not to listen to those upstarts from the New Hampshire Grants (now called New Connecticut) who were using the war as an opportunity to cut themselves off from New York. Other states were worried that parts of their territories might do the same thing as New Connecticut.
The Congress was in an uncomfortable spot because New York was powerful, yet the men from New Connecticut seemed to have a good cause, too. The Congress hemmed and hawed and finally did nothing at all, in order to keep New York happy. Vermont (New Connecticut) was not allowed to join the new country of the United StatesVermont was now all by itself -not belonging to anyone or anything. They declared themselves an independent republic.
In June of 1777, New Connecticut decided they needed a constitution, or set of laws, and modeled their constitution after the constitution of Pennsylvania that was written by Benjamin Franklin himself. This constitution, or set of laws, was the first to prohibit slavery (one person owning another person) and to guarantee all men the right to vote. But when they discovered that Pennsylvania already had an area called New Connecticut, a new name was needed. Someone suggested a name that would tell about our Green Mountains and would be related to our early French settlements. That name was “Verd Mont” which means "Green Mountain" in the French language. It was agreed that the name, Vermont, would be better because it was easier to say.
During the next thirteen years many things happened in this new land called Vermont. The republic of Vermont had its own money and postal service. Thomas Chittenden was chosen as our first governor in March of 1778. Ethan Allen, who had been a British prisoner since 1775, also returned home in 1778. Allen had been captured when he tried to seize Montreal, Canada from the British during the Revolutionary War. After being home for about a year, Ethan Allen and his Green Mountain Boys continued to fight for Vermont to join the newly formed United States. In 1782, Allen was appointed the head of the Vermont militia (volunteer soldiers). Throughout these years, Vermont remained an independent republic, not belonging to either Britain or the United States.
With the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783, the Revolutionary War finally ended with an American victory, The United States no longer belonged to England and was now its own country. The last British soldiers were withdrawn from New York City in November, 1783. At this time there were over 30,000 people living in Vermont.
In 1790, Vermont settled its dispute with New York by paying it $30,000. New Hampshire also gave up its claim to Vermont. Such improved relations helped clear the way for Vermont's admission to the United States. On March 4, 1791, Vermont became the 14th state! It was the first state to join the Union after the original thirteen colonies.
Information included from:
Uniquely Vermont by Emily Raabe
Vermont by Learner Publications Company